It seems like yesterday, but instead almost three years have passed since the introduction in supermarkets of the notorious bioplastic bags for fruit and vegetables, which sparked heated public controversy. Now the French chain Carrefour has decided to abandon them and replace them with recyclable and/or reusable alternatives, such as paper and cotton bags, joining the list of those chains (few in fact) that already do. The reason for this drastic decision? Bioplastic bags, although largely made of vegetable materials, are not easily recyclable, except in industrial plants able to treat them, which however are scarce in Europe. Starting this autumn, bioplastic bags will disappear, to be replaced by kraft paper bags and reusable organic cotton bags. These solutions will be activated immediately in French stores, while in the other countries where the sign is present, the timescale may be longer. In short, they conclude from Carrefour "alternatives to plastic exist but it is up to us, all together, to show that we can do without them".
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